Mahatma Letter to A Chela - LMW 1 No. 24

Quick Facts
People involved
Written by:	Koot Hoomi
Received by:	unidentified chela
Sent via:	unknown
Dates
Written on:	unknown
Received on:	1883
Other dates:	unknown
Places
Sent from:	unknown
Received at:	unknown
Via:	unknown

This letter is Letter No. 24 in Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series. Mahatma Koot Hoomi rebukes an unnamed chela and orders him to consult with Colonel Olcott.

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Page 1 transcription, image, and notes

So then, you really imagined when you were allowed to call yourself my chela –; that the black memories of your past offences were either hidden from my notice or that I knew and still forgave? Did you fancy that I connived at them? Foolish ...! thrice foolish! It was to help save you from your viler self, to arouse in you better aspirations; to cause the voice of your offended ‘soul’ to be heard; to give you the stimulus to make some reparation ... for these only your prayer to become my chela was granted. We are the agents of Justice, not the unfeeling lictors of a cruel god. Base as you have been, vilely as you have misused your talents ... blind as you have been to the claims of gratitude, virtue and equity, you have still in you the qualities of a good man — (dormant indeed, so far!) and a useful chela. But how long your relations with us will continue – depends alone upon yourself. You may struggle up out of mire, or glide back into depths of vice and misery now inconceivable to your imagination ... remember, ... that you stand before your Atma, which is your judge, and which no smiles, nor falsehoods, nor sophistries can deceive. Hitherto you had but bits of chits from me and – knew me not; now you know me better, for it is I who accuse you before your awakened conscience. You need make no lip-promises to It or me, no half-way confessions. Though ... you shed oceans of tears and grovel in the dust, this will not move a hair’s breadth the balance of Justice. If you would recover the lost ground do two things: make the amplest, most complete reparation ... and to the good of mankind devote your energies ... Try to fill each day’s measure with pure thoughts, wise words, kindly deeds. I shall neither order, nor mesmerize, nor sway you. But unseen and when you perhaps come – like so many others – to disbelieve in my existence, I shall watch your career and sympathize in your struggles. If you come out victorious at the end of your probation I shall be the readiest to welcome you. And now – there run two paths before you, choose! When you have chosen you may consult your visible official superior – H.S. Olcott, and I will instruct him thro’ his Guru to guide and send you on ...

You aspire to be a missionary of theosophy; be one – if you can be one in fact. But rather than go about preaching with a heart and a life that belie your professions – conjure the lightning to strike you dead, for every word will become your future accuser. Go and consult with Col. Olcott – confess your faults before that good man – and seek his advice.

K.H.

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NOTES:

Context and background

Mr. Jinarajadasa provided these notes about this letter:

Transcribed from the original at Adyar. The chela who received this letter was planning an action so horrible and such a betrayal of a sacred trust as not even our wildest imagination can conceive. After copying such parts of it as in my judgement had a value for those striving to tread the ‘narrow way’, I destroyed the letter which was given to me by the chela’s trustee in strictest confidence. For one has to remember there are children and grandchildren of those who fail disastrously on the path of occultism, and while using the material of the letters, a certain reserve is binding on the transcriber for the sake of these descendants. The date of the letter is about the end of the year 1883.

Physical description of letter

According to Mr. Jinarajadasa, the original letter is at the Adyar headquarters of the Theosophical Society.

Publication history

This letter was published in 1919 as Letter 24 in the first edition of Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888, later known as the First Series. It has kept this designation as Letter 24 throughout all editions.